1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a camera, and particularly relates to an exposure operation mechanism of the camera.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Conventionally, there have been proposed a variety of cameras which are able to perform an operation, or calculation, of exposure (i.e. exposure operation). In order to improve, or to enhance, an accuracy of the operation of exposure, as shown in FIG. 3 for example, there has been proposed a camera, in which a plurality of photometric regions are optically measured by a MULTI-DIVISION PHOTOMETRIC DEVICE S4; a position of a subject (i.e. an object to be photographed) is detected by an OUTPUT DEVICE FOR INFORMATION UPON SUBJECT POSITION S2', on the basis of information, output from a FOCUSING DEVICE S6, upon a distance relative to the subject, or on the basis of information, output therefrom, upon a focusing region; a photometric region is selected by a PHOTOMETRIC REGION DETERMINATION DEVICE S3, on the basis of the detected position of the subject; and an optimum exposure value is selected by an EXPOSURE OPERATION DEVICE S5 which makes use of the photometric value of the selected photometric region.
If the photometric region is selected according to a predetermined algorithm and then the exposure is operated or calculated by using the photometric value, there is need of increasing the number of photometric regions, there is need of increasing the number of points for focusing, and/or there is need of complicating the algorithm, in order to enhance a precision of the exposure operation. Namely, with such an arrangement, the time, until the exposure is determined, is disadvantageously prolonged.
On the other hand, in order to improve, or to enhance, the accuracy of the operation of exposure, as shown in FIG. 38 for example, there has been proposed a camera, in which a position of a subject (i.e. an object to be photographed) is detected by an OUTPUT DEVICE FOR INFORMATION UPON SUBJECT POSITION S20a, on the basis of a measuring value which a MULTI-DIVISION PHOTOMETRIC DEVICE S50 measures by measuring a plurality of photometric regions optically, and on the basis of focusing information output from a FOCUSING DEVICE S60; a DEVICE FOR CALCULATING BRIGHTNESS OF MAIN SUBJECT S30 calculates a brightness of a main subject that is a principal subject to be photographed, on the basis of the position of the subject, and on the basis of the measuring value which a MULTI-DIVISION PHOTOMETRIC DEVICE S50 measures; and an optimum exposure value is calculated by an EXPOSURE OPERATION DEVICE S40.
According to the arrangement, the exposure operation is executed on the basis of a predetermined algorithm. In order to enhance a precision of the exposure operation, however, there is need of increasing the number of photometric points and/or the number of focusing points, and/or there is need of complicating the algorithm. Namely, with such an arrangement, the time, until the exposure is determined, is disadvantageously prolonged.
On the other hand, there have been proposed a variety of cameras which are able to execute an exposure operation by determining one of the scenes, including a landscape, a close-up, a night scene, a portrait, and a sport, to be photographed. In this kind of camera, as shown in FIG. 51 for example, a SCENE DETERMINATION DEVICE S200 determines one of the scenes to be photographed on the basis of photometric values which are derived from optically measuring a plurality of photometric regions by a MULTI-DIVISION PHOTOMETRIC DEVICE S600 and on the basis of a focusing value which is measured by a FOCUSING DEVICE S500; and an EXPOSURE OPERATION DEVICE S400 calculates an optimum exposure value on the basis of the information upon the scene, to be photographed, which is determined by the SCENE DETERMINATION DEVICE S200, and on the basis of the photometric value which is obtained by the MULTI-DIVISION PHOTOMETRIC DEVICE S600. For example, a priority is given to its shutter speed if it is a sport scene, and a priority is given to its aperture if it is a landscape scene. According to the arrangement, the scene determination operation is executed on the basis of a predetermined algorithm. In order to enhance a precision of the scene determination, however, there is need of increasing the number of photometric points and/or the number of focusing points, and/or there is need of complicating the algorithm. Namely, with such an arrangement, the time which is required for performing the scene determination, is disadvantageously prolonged.